UOPD hires new line police officers

Submitted by kmciver on Mon, 10/07/2013 - 10:43

The University of Oregon Police Department commissioned its three newest hires on Monday, Oct. 7 — the department's first line police officers.

Allison Hart, John Loos, and Steven Barrett are first-time police officers, hired after a rigorous series of tests, interviews, background checks, and psychological and medical screenings over the last four-and-a-half months. Their commissioning, or swearing-in, with UOPD marks the official start of their police careers and their service with the UO.

Hart has a recent law degree from the UO School of Law and a bachelor's in criminal justice and psychology from Gonzaga; Loos has served as a security officer at the UO since 2010 and has a bachelor's in geography from the UO; Barrett has been a reserve officer in the City of Talent, in southern Oregon, and has a bachelor's in business management from Southern Oregon.

They will enter the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Basic Police Academy in Salem on October 14. After four months of full-time training and testing, the trio is expected to graduate at the end of February, and then return to Eugene for another four months of field training with a more experienced officer, before assuming regular duty for UOPD.

All 10 of the department's other sworn, certified police officers hold the rank of sergeant and above (five sergeants, three lieutenants, a captain and chief). These supervisory positions respond to situations on campus that require full police service as well as guide and lead patrol efforts. The new police line officers will eventually work alongside non-sworn public safety officers on regular patrol.

The three new police officers will increase the department's ability to have sworn officers available immediately, in more situations. Currently, there is usually one or two police supervisors working at all times, but seldom on patrol. The new officers will be able to perform police services without having to request assistance from one of the department's police supervisors.

Over five to six years, UOPD expects to replace its non-sworn public safety officer positions with sworn line officers, having different police and security divisions to serve campus.